Search

In the past six months I have chosen to gain ten pounds. And no, I was not underweight. So why might I have wanted to do that?

For one thing, I want to be cushion-y, not bony, for my children. I am tired of looking at models and movie stars and wanting to scream at the TV “EAT MORE FOOD!!!” For better or worse, they are society’s role models, but I want to channel Marilyn rather than Twiggy since my children will inevitably look to me for comparison. Unless I can keep them away from the media entirely!

I applaud those who look a little plump rather than anorexic.

I want my children to know that you can look and feel normal, even if you don’t fit into size 4 clothes. This goes to any girls AND boys I might have. I want them to know that a healthy person doesn’t obsess over their weight.

I am actually healthier now than I was two years ago and ten pounds lighter. I may weigh a little bit more, but I am conscious of what I put into my body. I don’t fill it with junk just to satiate hunger. Though I do like the occasional chocolate treat. And by occasional, I mean daily! I like to go out walking and get some fresh air — one of these days I’ll move out of the city and remember what fresh air really is!

This is not some excuse for gaining weight. I don’t take this lightly (ha, ha). I spent many years trying to control my life by controlling how much I weighed. The less, the better. But when I became pregnant, and gave my body over to another human being, that’s when I truly inhabited my body for the first time. Oh, it did all kinds of wacky things I never wanted (carpal tunnel and heartburn, for example), but I finally realized what it was like to be at peace with my body. I continuously work at being healthy, and part of that is indulging in my love of food. Good food!